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Mike Krier and my wife Eileen and I take great pleasure and pride in announcing the winner of the ZAK Award for 2009 is Paul Bosnich III, from DePue, Il. Paulie won the award for compiling the most points in 125CC Runabout in USTS races in 2009.
Eileen and I are particularly pleased with Paulie's winning of the award, as we sponsored him with an OMC engine and a propellor the first several years he raced in what is now known as the K-PRO class. When I was purchasing the props (2) from Craig Dewald, I happened to mention that they were for a beginner driver, and Craig very kindly donated one of the props at N/C to help get a new driver started. Since that time Craig has been a strong supporter and regular contributor to the award for the last 5 plus years. The boat Paulie used to compete in K-PRO was furnished by Todd Brinkman of B&B Electric, another long time supporter of the award, and the owner of the 125CC equipment that Paul drove while competing in the 125CC Runabout class and winning the ZAK award this year
This year marks a high point (no pun intended) in the award, as the total value with cash, merchandise and services will approach $2200.00 in value. This makes a total of over $17,000.00 since the award's inception, certainly indicating the high esteem Harry Pasturczak was held in by the contributors to it.
We thank all the participants/donors to the award, as they are the folks whose participation and generosity have made the award one of the most prestigious in the PRO category and USTS competition.
The ZAK Award is given each year in the name of Harry Pasturczak, or as he was most commonly known by everyone, "ZAK". He was a long time machinist, tool maker, engine builder, and more, not only for boat racing participants, but other motor sports such as snowmobile and motorcycles. Anything that could be raced, powered by a two-cycle engine was fodder for his magic. Harry was also well known for his "help anyone, anytime" philosophy. No matter whether you were a customer of his for motor or other type work, if he could assist you or help you in any way, no matter if you were a novice or accomplished National Champion, everyone was treated the same by him, and the quality of his work is still talked about. Just put in ZAK on this site's search feature, or BRF, and the stories are all there in great detail. In addition to the work he did on 2-stroke methonal burning engines, he also designed the drive system for, at that time, the world's fastest Electric Boat, that set both a 1/4 mile drag record, and a Kilo record, overcoming many obstacles in the process, both unanticipated and man made.
In addition to his chosen work with engines, he also was a tireless worker for the PRO Category and USTS in it's early years. He was the inspector at all the USTS races from the inception until his death in the early 90's. For many years when USTS was just getting off the ground, he pulled the equipment trailer with the Driver Safety Boat, with his own vehicle, and during the first couple of years, at no cost to USTS, paying for gas and oil out of his own pocket. He was just the best of all kinds of folks, all rolled into one, the kind who helps anyone, anytime, and never asks anything in return. As is very obvious from the above information, he was very generous with his time, advice, and personal resources to further USTS and PRO Boat Racing in general, and to all boat racing competitors. It is surely obvious to any outside observer, that his generosity and spirit of helping has carried over to the contributors to the award in his name for 2009.
THE DONORS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS FOR 2009:
Gary and Sue Wyhoski (USTS Scorer and Flagman) 100 MPH Tape
Jim McKean Bag of 20 Shear Pins and Top Hydro T-Shirt
Pete Nydahl and Family 100.00 towards Crankshaft Rebuild
Tom Cronk 100.00 towards Boat Hardware
Steve Litzell (VRP Engines) 100.00 worth of Shear Pins
Thrilby Auto 100.00 worth of Sparkplugs
Rex Hall (GRM Engines) 100.00 toward Crankshaft Work
Bill Tetro 100.00 CASH
Tim Small 150.00 towards Boat Lettering
Dewald Props 1/2 cost of Propellor
Todd Brinkman (B&B Electric) 2010 APBA Racing Membership
David Tenney 250.00 CASH
Bill & Eileen Van Steenwyk Permanent Trophy & 250.00 CASH
Mike Krier (Krier Boats) 250.00 towards repair on Krier Boat & Large Unique Traveling Trophy built by Mike
CRITERIA USED FOR CLASS COMPETING FOR AWARD EACH YEAR
The main criteria used most of the time, (but not always the final determining factor) in determining the class the award will be for in the coming year (2010) is what class is felt to be down in participation from the previous year and needs a little "shot in the arm" or extra incentive in the way of extra award to raise participation again. In the years the award has been presented, class participation in the class chosen has always improved, so the award has met its goals and then some.
After consideration of class participation/numbers from 2009, the ZAK Award for 2010 will be contested by the participants in the 250 CC Runabout Class.
LET THE PREPARATIONS FOR 2010 BEGIN!!!!!
i
Eileen and I are particularly pleased with Paulie's winning of the award, as we sponsored him with an OMC engine and a propellor the first several years he raced in what is now known as the K-PRO class. When I was purchasing the props (2) from Craig Dewald, I happened to mention that they were for a beginner driver, and Craig very kindly donated one of the props at N/C to help get a new driver started. Since that time Craig has been a strong supporter and regular contributor to the award for the last 5 plus years. The boat Paulie used to compete in K-PRO was furnished by Todd Brinkman of B&B Electric, another long time supporter of the award, and the owner of the 125CC equipment that Paul drove while competing in the 125CC Runabout class and winning the ZAK award this year
This year marks a high point (no pun intended) in the award, as the total value with cash, merchandise and services will approach $2200.00 in value. This makes a total of over $17,000.00 since the award's inception, certainly indicating the high esteem Harry Pasturczak was held in by the contributors to it.
We thank all the participants/donors to the award, as they are the folks whose participation and generosity have made the award one of the most prestigious in the PRO category and USTS competition.
The ZAK Award is given each year in the name of Harry Pasturczak, or as he was most commonly known by everyone, "ZAK". He was a long time machinist, tool maker, engine builder, and more, not only for boat racing participants, but other motor sports such as snowmobile and motorcycles. Anything that could be raced, powered by a two-cycle engine was fodder for his magic. Harry was also well known for his "help anyone, anytime" philosophy. No matter whether you were a customer of his for motor or other type work, if he could assist you or help you in any way, no matter if you were a novice or accomplished National Champion, everyone was treated the same by him, and the quality of his work is still talked about. Just put in ZAK on this site's search feature, or BRF, and the stories are all there in great detail. In addition to the work he did on 2-stroke methonal burning engines, he also designed the drive system for, at that time, the world's fastest Electric Boat, that set both a 1/4 mile drag record, and a Kilo record, overcoming many obstacles in the process, both unanticipated and man made.
In addition to his chosen work with engines, he also was a tireless worker for the PRO Category and USTS in it's early years. He was the inspector at all the USTS races from the inception until his death in the early 90's. For many years when USTS was just getting off the ground, he pulled the equipment trailer with the Driver Safety Boat, with his own vehicle, and during the first couple of years, at no cost to USTS, paying for gas and oil out of his own pocket. He was just the best of all kinds of folks, all rolled into one, the kind who helps anyone, anytime, and never asks anything in return. As is very obvious from the above information, he was very generous with his time, advice, and personal resources to further USTS and PRO Boat Racing in general, and to all boat racing competitors. It is surely obvious to any outside observer, that his generosity and spirit of helping has carried over to the contributors to the award in his name for 2009.
THE DONORS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS FOR 2009:
Gary and Sue Wyhoski (USTS Scorer and Flagman) 100 MPH Tape
Jim McKean Bag of 20 Shear Pins and Top Hydro T-Shirt
Pete Nydahl and Family 100.00 towards Crankshaft Rebuild
Tom Cronk 100.00 towards Boat Hardware
Steve Litzell (VRP Engines) 100.00 worth of Shear Pins
Thrilby Auto 100.00 worth of Sparkplugs
Rex Hall (GRM Engines) 100.00 toward Crankshaft Work
Bill Tetro 100.00 CASH
Tim Small 150.00 towards Boat Lettering
Dewald Props 1/2 cost of Propellor
Todd Brinkman (B&B Electric) 2010 APBA Racing Membership
David Tenney 250.00 CASH
Bill & Eileen Van Steenwyk Permanent Trophy & 250.00 CASH
Mike Krier (Krier Boats) 250.00 towards repair on Krier Boat & Large Unique Traveling Trophy built by Mike
CRITERIA USED FOR CLASS COMPETING FOR AWARD EACH YEAR
The main criteria used most of the time, (but not always the final determining factor) in determining the class the award will be for in the coming year (2010) is what class is felt to be down in participation from the previous year and needs a little "shot in the arm" or extra incentive in the way of extra award to raise participation again. In the years the award has been presented, class participation in the class chosen has always improved, so the award has met its goals and then some.
After consideration of class participation/numbers from 2009, the ZAK Award for 2010 will be contested by the participants in the 250 CC Runabout Class.
LET THE PREPARATIONS FOR 2010 BEGIN!!!!!
i
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